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June 6, 2010

Day Fourteen: Last Day of the Tour!

We checked out of our hotel in Eilat early in the morning and on our way back to Tel Aviv, we stopped at Timna Park Nature Reserve. Here we got to enter a replica of the tabernacle. Some people on the tour were brought to tears...the only thing that was brought upon me was sweat. It was so hot standing inside of there that I could barely pay attention to what the tour guide was saying. Forgive me.

[Solomon's Pillars]

[That is probably the coolest thing I've ever seen]

[The Tabernacle]

[Inside the Tabernacle, was the Holy of Holies!]

We then got to fill our own sand bottles! We were given tiny little bottles and all gathered around different colors of sand and filled them. And to seal the bottle off, we used clay! Mine looked like a version of the German flag (unintentional, of course). To be honest, I didn't keep mine. I was actually so unhappy with it that I gave it away. I have this issue...I think it's called perfectionism. I don't like creating things unless they turn out like I want them to. I hadn't filled my bottle high enough with sand, so the different layers of colors got all mixed up. I feel like a fool admitting that, sigh.

[Filling our bottles with sand]

[Sealing it off with clay! Messy business]

[My sand bottle. Check out how long my nails are!]

When we arrived back at our same hotel in Tel Aviv, we swam in the Mediterranean Sea for the very first time. So it's official folks, I have swam in EVERY single body of water in Israel: Med, Dead, Red, and Galilee. (hooray!!) I'd call that an accomplishment! After some some sever evaluating and critiquing, I'm gonna have to say that the Mediterranean Sea is my ultimate favorite body of water. It's the only one with white sand, warm water, and waves. It's glorious I tell you.

[Tel Aviv in the evening, a very clean and modern city]

[The tour guide said that a suicide bomber once stayed inside there. Crazy!]

[Tel Aviv overlookin' the Mediterranean Sea]

It felt sort of strange returning back to this hotel. A few weeks ago I had no idea this trip would've gone by this fast. I just couldn't believe that today was finally here. Anyway, this hotel, the Alexander, was definitely my favorite. Like I said 20 blog entries ago, it has a kitchen, family room, two bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a dining room. It's the perfect hotel to stay at on your first and last days in Israel.

Tonight we had a farewell dinner for our tour group at a chinese restaurant in Tel Aviv. It was soooo much fun and I'm really glad we ended things like this. The food was amazing, and the fellowship was even better. After we finished eating there was a mic set up, so whoever wanted to could have their chance to say something to the group. After alot of nudging and "Jenni" chants, I walked myself up to the front. All I know is that I'm terrible at improv speaking. And I was so nervous. I'm glad I did it though. I'm glad I went up there. I don't even remember what I said exactly...I said thank you to the Wee family for adopting me as one of their daughters, I told Charmaine that I loved her for being my best friend and for inviting me on this trip even when we "barely" knew each other, and I told the group thank you for being wonderful aunties and uncles, mom's and dad's, and grandma's and grandpa's to me. Yes, it was something like that.I took so many photos from this night. I went around the tables and took photos of each couple; don't worry, I'm not going to post them all. Haha.

[Wonderful people]

[They sure know how to party ;) ]

[Bahaha]

[Living proof that I DID say a speech. I know there's people out there who'd never believe it.]

But seriously, I fell in love with everyone on this tour. I know in previous entries I've tried to describe how thankful I am for being surrounded by people like them, but it's still just indescribable. You don't know how encouraging it is to hear "You're going to be such a blessing to this world." or "God is going to do amazing things with you, Jenny." I just feel like they all have so much faith in me, and to let them down would be like letting the world down. I know with full confidence that we were all meant to cross paths and place little footprints on each others hearts; amazing how that works.

[Bob and I. He is my absolute favorite]

[Sitting on some random moped outside Haha]

Tomorrow the Wee family and I will be dropping everyone off at the airport, and sending them away to Canada! But the four of us will be staying four more days, livin' like the locals! I'm praying that this will be an opportunity to just chill and relax. Hmm...sounds good to me!

4 comments:

oooooh Cool! I didn't know that you got to stay longer than the tour!! Very neat! I sure hope you are going to blog about those days too!!! It was so much fun reading about your trip!For the picture where you were like "this is the coolest thing I have ever seen"... what was it? Was it like a canyon thing or something?

That's pretty cool about the tabernacle replica that you got to go in and not care about... :P haha! I have been reading my way through the pentateuch so my brain is right there with the tabernacle and stuff. It would have been neat to see it instead of try to decipher all of those instructions of how to build it that are in the bible!! haha!!!

i just accidentally ate some of that lotion you got me. blechhh. that was weird.ps. i also hope you write about the rest of your trip. don't even think that you're off the hook now. i can't believe elena left two comments. and she totally stole what i was going to say.. from your "coolest thing" picture to the sand bottle to the reading of the pentateuch.. haha just kidding about the last one.

Krissi! You should read the pentateuch! I am proud to say that for the first time (I think in my whole life) I read through the ENTIRE book of Leviticus!!!! I made it!!!!!!!! The laws on sacrifices and offerings can get kind of redundant... but I persevered!!!! Now on to Numbers....